Scanning device for feeding and scanning sheets in reverse order

ABSTRACT

A reverse sheet feeding scanning device for scanning a stack of sheets from the Nth sheet to the first sheet. The scanning device includes a body with a sheet feeding unit and a scanning unit received therein. By the arrangement of putting the scanning unit on the feeding path of the sheets and the change of direction of the sheets, the scanned images can be printed by the printer and the first sheet is located on the top and the Nth sheet is located at the bottom of the stack of the sheets. The printed sides face upward so that the users need not to arrange the sheets and achieve the purpose of convenience.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a scanning device for feeding and scanning sheets in reverse order, and in particular to a scanner that scans from the last sheet (the Nth sheet) to the first sheet of a stack of sheets. The scanning device can be cooperated with a printer which prints the sheets that are already scanned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. A drawing shows statuses of feeding, scanning and printing of an L-type sheet feeder.

[0003]FIG. 1 shows an L-type sheet feeder 11 is mounted to a flat-bed scanner 12 which is connected to a computer 13. A stack of sheets 10 are piled on the feeder 11 and the first sheet is located at the bottom of the pile and the last sheet (the Nth sheet) is on the top of the pile. The side that is to be scanned faces downward as shown by the arrow head and the N is a number that is larger than 1.

[0004] When the sheets are fed, the first sheet is fed first and the Nth sheet is the last one to be fed. The side to be scanned faces the scanning unit 15 when the sheets pass over the feeder 11. After the sheets pass the feeder 11, the first sheet is located at the bottom and the Nth sheet is on the top of the stack of the sheets.

[0005] The images obtained by scanning can be processed by the CPU and memory of a computer 13 and printed in a reverse sequence, so that the printed sheets is piled with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet located at the bottom.

[0006] 2. A drawing shows statuses of feeding, scanning and printing of a U-type sheet feeder.

[0007]FIG. 2 shows a U-type sheet feeder 14 is connected to a flat-bed scanner 12 which is connected to a computer 13. A stack of sheets 10 are piled on the feeder 14 and the first sheet is located on the top of the pile and the last sheet (the Nth sheet) is at the bottom of the pile. The side that is to be scanned faces upward as shown by the arrow head.

[0008] When the sheets are fed, the first sheet is fed first and the Nth sheet is the last one to be fed. The sheets rotate 180 degrees so that the sides to be scanned faces the scanning unit 15 when the sheets pass over the feeder 14. After the sheets pass the feeder 14, the first sheet is located at the bottom and the Nth sheet is on the top of the stack of the sheet. The sides that are scanned face downward.

[0009] The images obtained by scanning can be processed by the CPU and memory of a computer 13 and printed in a reverse sequence, so that the printed sheets is piled with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet located at the bottom.

[0010] 3. A drawing shows statuses of use of an L-type sheet feeder connected with an ink jet printer.

[0011]FIG. 3 shows an L-type sheet feeder 11 is mounted to a scanner 12 which is connected to an ink jet printer 16.

[0012] The first sheet to the Nth sheet of a stack of sheets 10 in the feeder 11 passes the feeder 11 one by one. The images obtained by the scanner 12 are printed by the printer 16. The printed sheets from the ink jet printer have to be dried so that the printed sides have to face upward so as to prevent from contaminated the following sheet. After the printer 16 receives the image information from the scanner 12, it prints from the first sheet to the Nth sheet, the Nth sheet is on the top and the first sheet is at the bottom. The users have to re-arrange the sequence of the sheets and is inconvenient.

[0013] In the way that the printer 16 prints directly as mentioned above, there is no reverse printing mold to be chosen, this is because that the memory of the scanner is limited so that it cannot provide such function. Although it can be improved to increase the memory, the cost is too high to meet the requirements of manufacturing.

[0014] 4. A drawing shows statuses of use of a U-type sheet feeder connected with an ink jet printer.

[0015]FIG. 4 shows a U-type sheet feeder 14 is mounted to a flat-bed scanner 12 which is connected to an ink jet printer 16.

[0016] The status of the contents of FIG. 4 is the same as that shown in FIG. 3, the printed sheets is arranged with the Nth sheet on the top and the first sheet at the bottom, so that the users have to re-arrange the sequence of the sheets and is inconvenient.

[0017] 5. The description for the sheet feeder of a copy machine.

[0018] The sheet feeder for a copy machine is used for a stack of sheets with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet at the bottom, and the side to be copied faces downward. When copying, the Nth sheet is copied first and the first sheet is copied at the last sequence.

[0019] When feeding the sheets, each sheet has to pass a U-shaped passage and turns 180 degrees, and then passes another U-shaped passage and turns another 180 degrees. The sheets pass two U-shaped passages and are piled up, with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet at the bottom, and the copied sheets are piled in sequence.

[0020] In the mechanism, the length of the passages for feeding the sheets has to be longer than two times of the length of the sheet in the feeding direction. The volume of the feeder is therefore bulky and the sheets tend to be stocked in the passages because of the two U-shaped passages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0021] The primary object of the present invention is to provide a scanning device having a scanning unit which scans from the last sheet to the first sheet of a stack of sheet.

[0022] Another object of the present invention is to provide a scanning device having two scanning units so that the scanning device may proceed single side or double-side scanning.

[0023] By the objects of the disclosure above, the multiple sheets (there are N sheets, N is a natural number) can be scanned and printed with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet at the bottom. The volume of the sheet feeder needs not to increase and the users need not to arrange the printed sheets.

[0024] The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025]FIG. 1 shows the statuses of scanning and printing of a conventional L-type sheet feeder.

[0026]FIG. 2 shows the statuses of scanning and printing of a conventional U-type sheet feeder.

[0027]FIG. 3 shows the cooperation of the conventional L-type sheet feeder and an ink jet printer.

[0028]FIG. 4 shows the cooperation of the conventional U-type sheet feeder and an ink jet printer.

[0029]FIG. 5 shows the structure of the L-type sheet feeder of the present invention.

[0030]FIG. 6 shows the cooperation of the L-type sheet feeder of the present invention and the ink jet printer.

[0031]FIG. 7 shows the cooperation of the L-type sheet feeder of the present invention, a flat-bed scanner, and a printer.

[0032]FIG. 8 shows the U-type sheet feeder of the present invention.

[0033]FIG. 9 shows the cooperation of the U-type sheet feeder of the present invention and the ink jet printer.

[0034]FIG. 10 shows the cooperation of the U-type sheet feeder of the present invention, a flat-bed scanner, and a printer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] The function of the automatically feeding sheets for a scanner is make by a sheet feeder. The sheet feeder includes an L-type feeder and a U-type feeder. The following embodiments describe the two types of sheet feeders.

[0036] Embodiment of L-Type Sheet Feeders

[0037]FIG. 5 shows the L-type sheet feeder 20 of the present invention and discloses a body 21 with a scanning unit 22 and a sheet feeding unit 23 received therein. The sheet feeding unit 23 at least has a roller 24 and a pad 25. The scanning unit 22 is located at the outlet end of the sheet feeding unit 23 and higher than the proceeding height of the sheets.

[0038] When in use, the stack of sheets 10 with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet at the bottom, the side to be scanned faces upward as shown by the arrow head. The Nth sheet is fed till the first sheet when feeding and the scanning unit 22 scans each sheet.

[0039]FIG. 6 shows the L-type sheet feeder 20 is connected to the printer 16. Because the Nth sheet is first fed by the sheet feeder 20 and the scanning unit 22 in the body 21 scans the sheets that pass through, the printer 16 receives the image information coming from the Nth sheet to the first sheet. The images are printed by the sequence and the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet at the bottom, and the printed images face upward as shown by the arrow head.

[0040]FIG. 7 shows the L-type sheet feeder 20 is connected to the flat-bed scanner 12 and the scanner 12 is connected to the printer 16. The stack of sheets 10 are fed and scanned by the scanning unit 22 from the Nth sheet to the first sheet. The printed sheets are piled up with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet at the bottom, the printed sides face upward as shown by the arrow head.

[0041] It is understood that the printed sheets by the printer 16 need not to be arranged again. The volume of the sheet feeder 20 is not increase although a scanning unit 22 is received in the feeder 20.

[0042] Embodiment of U-Type Sheet Feeders

[0043]FIG. 8 shows the U-type sheet feeder 30 of the present invention and discloses a body 31 with a scanning unit 32 and a sheet feeding unit 33 received therein. The sheet feeding unit 33 at least has multiple rollers 34, 35, 36 and a pad 38. The scanning unit 32 is located at the feeding path 37 of the sheet feeding unit 33 and within a range of movement of the sheets.

[0044] When in use, the stack of sheets 10 with the first sheet at the bottom and the Nth sheet on the top, the side to be scanned faces downward as shown by the arrow head. The Nth sheet is fed till the first sheet when feeding and each sheet turns 180 degrees, and the scanning unit 32 scans each sheet.

[0045]FIG. 9 shows the U-type sheet feeder 30 is connected to the printer 16. Because the Nth sheet is first fed by the sheet feeder 30 and the scanning unit 32 in the body 31 scans the sheets that pass through, the printer 16 receives and prints the image information from the Nth sheet to the first sheet. The printed sheets are piled with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet at the bottom, and the printed images face upward as shown by the arrow head.

[0046]FIG. 10 shows the U-type sheet feeder 30 is connected to the flat-bed scanner 12 and the scanner 12 is connected to the printer 16. The stack of sheets 10 of the sheet feeder 30 is fed and scanned by the scanning unit 32 from the Nth sheet to the first sheet. The printed sheets are piled up with the first sheet on the top and the Nth sheet at the bottom, the printed sides face upward as shown by the arrow head.

[0047] It is understood that the printed sheets by the printer 16 need not to be arranged again. The volume of the sheet feeder 30 is not increase although a scanning unit 32 is received in the feeder 30, or the scanning unit is installed at a position enclosed by the U-shaped feeding path.

[0048] Embodiment of Cooperation with a Double-Side Scanner

[0049]FIGS. 7 and 10 show the sheet feeders 20, 30 cooperated with the flat-bed scanner 12. The sheet feeders 20, 30 each have a scanning unit 22, 32, and the flat-bed scanner 12 has a scanning unit 15. When the sheet feeders 20, 30 are cooperated with the flat-bed scanner 12 which may proceed double-side scanning.

[0050] Conclusion

[0051] While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A reverse sheet feeding scanning device for scanning a stack of sheets that includes a first sheet to an Nth sheet (N is a number that is larger than 1), the scanning device comprising: a body; a sheet feeding unit comprising at least a feeding path for the sheets to move, the sheet feeding unit feeding the sheets along the feeding path by the sequence from the Nth sheet to the first sheet, and a scanning unit received in the body and located corresponding to the feeding path so as to scan the sheets from the Nth sheet to the first sheet.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet feeding unit is an L-type sheet feeder and the feeding path is an L-shaped path, a side to be scanned of the multiple sheets facing upward.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sheet feeder is a U-type sheet feeder and the feeding path is a U-shaped path, a side to be scanned of the multiple sheets facing downward.
 4. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the scanning unit is enclosed by the U-shaped feeding path.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scanning device is cooperated on a flat-bed scanner so as to proceed double-side scanning.
 6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning device is connected directly to a printer so as to print information that is scanned by the scanning unit from the Nth sheet to the first sheet, printed sides of the printed sheets facing upward. 